


The Boy Next Door

by wasatch_97



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Attempt at Humor, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, and loves disney, heejin is so relatable, hyuck has anxiety be warned, mark vs a cat, mark wants to meet the boy next door, markhyuck, pops some anxiety pills, tbh this all is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-13 16:29:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18472729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wasatch_97/pseuds/wasatch_97
Summary: There were no words spoken or movement or anything so Mark pressed a little bit harder against the robber’s head with the rectangular base. “Why are you here?”It was almost (very) pathetic, Mark in his striped bathrobe and pajamas standing over a robber who was curled up on the floor, holding a Swiffer stick to his head.Alternatively, Mark thinks he can best a cat and really wants to meet the boy living next door.





	The Boy Next Door

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I haven't been active, moving's a bitch. Hope ya'll enjoy!! [tumblr](https://wasatch-97.tumblr.com/)

Mark had never seen the boy who lived next door. 

At least, he assumed it was a boy, due to the fact that his neighbor across the hall, Heejin, said she had seen him once on her way up from the laundry room in the apartment hallway. 

Mark just didn’t know if he trusted Heejin- she had stolen the coupons out of the flyer half-jammed under his door to the local (and his favorite) Chinese food joint. 

So yeah- Heejin just might not be reliable. 

But the alleged boy. Mark knew he had moved into the apartment next to his roughly around three months ago (during that period of time Mark had been swamped with work for finals, uni kicking his ass, living a half-life built on ramyun consumption and whatever mix of energy drinks Johnny brought over when he checked to make sure Mark hadn’t been smothered to death by his notes. As if his three hours of sleep routine wasn’t enough to make his head all foggy, therefore forgetting the boy’s move-in date, he was sure Johnny’s energy drink mixes were actually going to kill him). 

Three months and Mark hadn’t heard a single noise next door. It got to a point where if he thought the neighboring door was being opened or closed he would dash to his own, cracking it open and peering down the (rather damp and unsanitary) hallway of the building. 

But no boy. Only empty hallway (was the burly guy across the way leaving garbage bags outside his door again? Mark would have to call down to the front office. As if they would actually do anything to prevent bug-invasion). Sometimes the cat Jeno, one of Mark’s friends, fed carrot sticks to would stare back at him, wobbling a bit on it’s three legs, single ear twitching about and different colored eyes blinking at Mark in a way that almost appeared to be as if the cat was judging _him._

Mark usually slammed the door closed when the cat went from creepy to possessed-creepy. How Jeno had three of those things already and yet wanted more boggled his bind. 

Now, Mark knew people. He had friends who had friends and when he hung out with people suddenly there always seemed to be a crowd. But he actually liked solitude- sitting on his ratty couch in his tiny apartment, bowl of popcorn in his lap with the lights off, watching _Mulan._

He had a soft spot for Disney, sue him. 

So there he was, all cuddled up on his couch when he heard the click of the lock and his door swung open, a figure standing in the doorway, backlit from the orange-y hallway lights. 

Mark froze. 

Then screamed. 

Popcorn flew through the air and he fell over the back of the couch trying to get away from the door-opener-possibly-most-likely-robber. 

The robber seemed just as shocked as him, maybe more, letting out a tiny squeak and dropping to the floor, and as far as Mark could see from where he was peeking out from under the couch, curling into a ball. 

Not typical robber behavior, Mark assumed, but who was he to know. 

Some time had passed and Mark was getting uncomfortable crouching on the ground behind a piece of furniture, and the robber hadn’t moved from the human-pill bug shape he had made, so Mark stood up, quickly grabbing the Swiffer that was handily leaning up against the wall (spring cleaning was hopeless, Mark had decided, two hours and three sodas in). 

“You,” Mark grunted, tapping the back of the robber’s head with the Swiffer base, “what the hell are you doing in my apartment?” 

There were no words spoken or movement or anything so Mark pressed a little bit harder against the robber’s head with the rectangular base. “Why are you here?” 

It was almost (very) pathetic, Mark in his striped bathrobe and pajamas standing over a robber who was curled up on the floor, holding a Swiffer stick to his head. Johnny would have pissed himself laughing, Mark supposed. 

And then the robber moved and Mark twirled the Swiffer around, sharp handle pointed towards the body ready to strike, when large brown eyes stared up at him. 

_Eyes._

Mark wondered if all robbers had really pretty brown eyes like this one did. In the dim light (still flickering in through the open door), Mark noted that the robber didn’t look much older than him, if not younger, and there was fear written all over his pretty face (Mark definitely did not consider himself all that threatening given the bathrobe- _Mulan_ -Swiffer situation, and in all honesty the robber was really pretty). 

“Uhm- hi?” 

Mark cursed himself silently, he was pretty sure there was a rule about making conversation with robbers, no matter how pretty they were. 

And this one was- Mark bit his tongue. 

The robber stared up at Mark, arms curled around his knees, bottom lip trembling. 

“C’mon, sit down,” Mark winced, gesturing to the couch. Johnny was going to murder him. If the robber didn’t murder him first. 

The robber didn’t move for a long second, but when he did, he stood on shaky legs, cowering away from Mark. Mark’s eyebrows furrowed, watching as the robber sat on the far end of the couch, bag that Mark hadn’t even noticed clutched tight to his chest. Was it normal for robbers to be so… shy? 

“So, why’d you break into my apartment?” Mark asked first, Swiffer still in hand as he stood in front of the electronic glare from the tv. 

The robber unzipped his bag, pulling out a bottle of water and container of what looked like prescription pills? Mark had never been so confused in his life. After swallowing two, the robber looked up again, blinking a few times before some, not all, of the fear faded from his face. “I’m so, so sorry.” 

Mark liked sounds, he loved music, for god’s sake he was aiming to become a producer when he graduated. He’d heard a lot of voices but never one like this. It was high and a little nasally, but Mark felt as if he could listen to it forever and never get tired of it. 

“I-It’s okay.” 

Even the robber raised an eyebrow. “You’re forgiving me for breaking into your apartment?” 

“Yeah, yeah, on that note why’d you do that?” Mark rushed, sitting down in the armchair. 

“I live next door-” it was the boy! Mark’s heart jumped, “-my key got lost so they were making me one down at the office but they must’ve made a copy of yours by mistake and I always forget where my apartment is so sometimes I confuse yours with mine I don’t know why maybe I should get gl-” 

“It’s okay to breathe,” Mark chuckled and the boy blushed. “If I had known you were my neighbor I wouldn’t have tried to kill you with a Swiffer,” Mark added. 

“I’m sorry- for acting the way I did,” the neighbor replied, “and for not ever coming to say hi. I- uhm, have anxiety,” he held up the bottle of pills as if for proof. “Bad anxiety.” 

Mark hummed. “Well, I’m sorry I never got to meet you before and that we met now in this situation,” he ran a hand through his hair, remembering his attire and the Disney movie portrayed on the screen. 

The neighbor giggled and Mark swooned, almost in a _Pride and Prejudice_ fashion. “It’s okay. I’m sorry for causing you trouble- uhm,” he trailed off. 

“Oh! Mark, I’m Mark, that’s me,” he rattled out, grimacing with each added word. Cute neighbors plus bumbling idiots apparently didn’t mix well. 

The boy bit his lip, holding a grin in. “I’m Donghyuck.” 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Mark said. “Could I- nevermind I have nothing except ramyun and carrot sticks-” 

“Ramyun would be wonderful,” Donghyuck cut in, “that is, if I weren’t imposing.” 

“No no,” Mark hurried out and Donghyuck laughed, Mark’s insides turning to jelly at the sound. “Please, stay, I have movies if you want to watch something.” 

Donghyuck set his bag on the floor. “Do you need help at all?” 

Mark shook his head. “No, I’ll be back in a second, let me just close the door.” Walking over to the entrance he spotted the cat sitting on his doormat, staring up at him unblinkingly. 

“Yeah, that’s right, I have a date,” Mark hissed at the cat who had the audacity to turn up his nose. 

“A date, huh?” 

Mark quickly learned that Donghyuck was actually within his friend group’s circle- they both new Renjun. Somehow they had never met- most likely due to Donghyuck’s anxiety. Mark fell in like with Donghyuck as he learned about his love for singing (he was sure Donghyuck’s voice was good from the start), and fell in love with him when they had a contest to see who could slurp up the ramyun the loudest. Donghyuck won. Mark wasn’t even mad, far from it when he came out of a very confusing night with another date planned for the next evening. 

That cat could go suck it.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments I love hearing from you guys!! <3


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